The sound and shaking came from the collapse of the World Trade Center's south tower on Sept. 11, 2001. Hoke, executive assistant to the rector at Trinity Church in New York, spoke to his former church, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, on Thursday night.

Hoke was rector of St. Andrew's from 1981 to 1991. About 150 people attended his speech.

Hoke said the explosion of the north tower also emitted the same sound and fury. He also talked about what the church did to minister to people in the area. Trinity Church is located 150 yards from Ground Zero, Hoke said.

Hoke said he conducted a church service while chaos occurred outside. He chose prayers from the Book of Common Prayer, performed hymns, recited the Beatitudes and led a terrorized group of men and women in prayer.

"We had a young journalist come to congregation that day," Hoke said. "He said, 'In my opinion, the first strike in the war against terrorism occurred when this priest persisted in reading the Beatitudes before a shocked and dismayed congregation.' He said, 'That moment has stayed with me and will continue to stay with me forever."'

Information on that day was sketchy at first, Hoke said, explaining he and others initially were told that the East Coast was under siege and that the Empire State Building and United Nations had been vaporized.

Hoke learned many lessons from that day, such as how the church accepted its mission and how gender, class, racial and gender boundaries evaporated. Hoke also spoke about the efforts of St. Paul's Chapel, which Trinity Church operates.

One of St. Andrew's clergy members said Hoke's speech was beneficial.

"For people here, it was almost like a daydream," said the Rev. Mary Glover, associate rector, describing how people here reacted to Sept. 11, 2001. "I think just hearing somebody talk it about in such real terms makes it real, and plus just hearing the reflections on it after a year (helps)."

Parishioners seemed to enjoy Hoke's thoughts.

"It was very good," Jenny Clark said. "It's been so long now since 9-11 that it's become kind of old hat to us. Like so many other things, we start to take things for granted, and to hear again what it must have been like for those people on that very day, it just made you remember what you need to think (about) and be thankful for. I just think it's amazing the opportunity the Episcopal Church had through all that crisis to reach out."

Hoke said he has enjoyed his trip back to the area - calling it an "incredible homecoming" - and seeing his former congregation. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church consecrated its new church building Wednesday night.

"I've had a wonderful time," Hoke said. "The celebration last night was all that you would have ever hoped it could be."